Sneak Peek: Gender Transition for Minors, the U.S. as a Force for Good, and Economic Sacrifice for Sanctions Against Russia
We have three new Spectrum Street Epistemology conversations from Eastern Europe. These will be released to the public this week, but as always, our Substack followers get a preview!
Tuesday
In this conversation in Transylvania, two women and one man consider the claim, “People under 18 should be able to change their sex through surgery and hormones in Romania.” They start off on different lines and present three different viewpoints, including maturity, social acceptance, suicide, and research into youth transitioners.
Wednesday
Two gentlemen in Romania consider whether or not the U.S. is a force for good in the world. While they have different views on the claim, both offer praise and criticism for the U.S. (and its presidents). We also hear comparisons between the culture and climate of the U.S. and other countries.
Thursday
Three university students in Budapest discuss the claim, “It is worth sacrificing economic well-being for sanctions against the Russian Federation.” They consider how sanctions can impact their home economy, Russia’s economy, and individuals in lower economic strata. The direct effectiveness of sanctions is weighed against the messaging sanctions may achieve, particularly when sanctions are imposed by a global pact (like the EU). One student says sanctions show a unity of western values and can create “a point in history when the Russian Federation’s power can go down and never come back.”
Let us know if these conversations inspired you to consider your own beliefs in a new way. Comment here on Substack or on YouTube.
I was impressed with the answers of these young people. For the most part, they gave thoughtful and considered answers. Unlike earlier videos, this group of youth clearly favored US democracy compared to rule by Russia. One person even pointed out that Russia today is still very much influenced by communism despite no longer being considered an officially communist country. I thought that was very perceptive and I am glad Romanians are able today to freely express criticism of communism. That was not the case when Romania was a captive nation controlled by Russia. For a look at what that was like, I recommend reading the book "I Must Betray You" by Ruta Sepetys.
The most significant but most hidden stat about whether surgeries and hormones make long term happiness for the individual, be he/she a child or adult is from the Swedish study of death records for those who had surgeries between 1973 and 2003. There was a control group matched for age and economic status. Compared to the control group, females who had surgeries in that time frame were killing themselves 40 TIMES more often than the control females. The suicide rate for natal males who had the surgeries was "only" 19 times higher than controls. (Cecelia Dheine, et al, 2011) For details and more analysis, including recent study showing 36% of females detransitioning:
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